[Zinc and seasonal conjunctivitis]

After a review of the properties of zinc, the authors report their experience in the use of this oligo-element in seasonal conjunctivitis. The study covers 79 subjects (35 women, 44 men, mean age 23 years +/- 7-79) and had the aim of clarifying the improvement obtained by the addition of zinc sulphate in a basal formulation that included AH1 antihistamines, taken only on demand. All the subjects were bi-sensitised and had commenced a desensitisation to pollens which had been poorly tolerated or badly maintained. The results were very good, even excellent, in 78% of the cases.